For testing electronic devices, in particular integrated electronic circuits providing electrical input and output signals (for instance digital inputs or outputs, analog inputs or outputs, RF inputs or outputs, static/DC inputs or outputs), a test or stimulus signal is fed to an input of the device under test, and a response signal of the device under test is evaluated by an automatic test equipment, for example by comparison with expected data. Such an automatic test equipment has included a particular test functionality, that it to say test functions or routines which the test equipment may carry out. This test functionality may be incorporated in the test equipment in the form of executable software code.
An example for an available test device is the 93000 test device of Agilent Technologies.
Conventionally, a test device may be connected between a workstation and one or more devices under test (DUT). The test device is formed by a number of test modules connected in parallel to one another and specifying a particular test to be performed. Each of the modules has specific resources allowing to fulfill a specific partial function of a complex test routine. For instance, a digital waveform module may have the capability to provide a digital waveform signal that may be used during a test. An analog waveform module may have the capability to provide an analog waveform signal that may be used during the test. Each of the modules has to be developed individually in accordance with its specific function during the test. This may involve significant development costs.